Short sighted scheme – far reaching consequences

THIS blog is written by a local person, a resident of Hillingdon for 11 years, nine of which I spent in West Drayton, so I care about this borough – all of it! I’ve probably tried every leisure facility and park Hillingdon has to offer, have friends all over the borough and would not want to live anywhere else. I am not a rail expert but I am a real Hillingdon person who cares about our community. I am not paid or employed to campaign against HS2, I do it voluntarily to support my community who have never been written to directly about how HS2 will affect their livelihoods or homes, many of whom do not use the internet and cannot engage meaningfully in the consultation. I do it also to protect my children’s future health, school, home and inheritance.

IF ANYTHING was to happen to the detriment of Hillingdon but was in the national interest I would need to be seriously convinced of the national interest and benefits.

With HS2 there is no argument that convinces me, or many others, that it is anything other than a short sighted scheme lobbied for by global big business and paid academics, fallen for by politicans who want to keep up with other countries – countries that are geographically different from the UK – or bigger or now in worse debt than us, in part due to investment in High Speed Rail.

Anyone who opposes HS2 is written off and derided as a NIMBY, which suggests the case for HS2 is not robust enough to withstand serious questioning or criticism.

The issue is with the quality and content of the answers which I’ve already written about. If HS2 insists on leaving people affected in terrible limbo, with no blight provisions, people will not trust them or their schemes. But other people all over the country do not want HS2, whether because of the cost, the effect on the countryside, the fact it will not make a profit and the fares will be subsidised, the fact it is not green, the fact that other transport routes need investment now, the fact that HS2 is planned to run at full capacity from day one so will have no room for growth for future generations, and the fact the route chosen is not one that many believe is best.

So no, it does not stand up to £34billion being spent at this time of austerity whatever way you look at it.